Refrigerator cabinet



Attorney.

Inventor .m K A t JV by R. A. KlNG REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed Oct. 7,1940 Fig.1.

May 11, 1943.

Patented Ma 11, 1943 REFRIGERATOR CABmET Robert A. King, Erie, Pa.,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication October '1, 1940, Serial No. 360,117

4 Claims.

My invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly torefrigerator cabinet construction.

The objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as thefollowing description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, partlybroken away, showing a refrigerator cabinet embodying the principles ofmy invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective partial viewillustrating some of the details of my invention; Fig. 3 is an enlargedview of a portion of the retainingstrips shown in Figs. 1 and 2; andFig.4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line l -4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a refrigerator cabinet ill of thehousehold type having a cold storage compartment ll closed by a suitabledoor l2 and a machinery compartment closed by a suitable door l3.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the cabinet includes an outer metallic wall orshell l4 and a metallic inner shell or liner I5 maintained in spacedapart relationship as by means of a plurality of bridge members l6,formed of suitable non-metallic, non-hygroscopic material. I have foundthat resinous products. such as those known under the names Bakelite,Textolite, etc., are particularly well adapted to this purpose. Suitablethermal insulation i1 is disposed between the walls l4 and IS.

The marginal edge of the outer wall is bent inwardly to provide a flangel8. The marginal edge of the inner liner I5 is formed with a flange l9opposed to and in substantial alignment with the flange IS. The bridgemembers 16 are fastened at each end to suitable brackets as indicated bythe numeral 20 in any suitable manner as by means of threaded fasteningdevices 2| extending through a suitable opening in the bracket 20 intoengagement with the walls of a suitable hole in the bridge member It.The brackets may be suitably secured to the liners or walls It and I5 inany suitable manner as by welding for example.

In order to close the space between the flanges l8 and I9, I haveprovided breaker strips 22 extending entirely around the door opening.The breaker strips are preferably formed from a material having the samecharacteristics as those of the bridge members It. In order to supportand retain the breaker strips in position, I have provided retainingstrips or bezels 23 extending substantially the full length of eachlongitudinal edge of the breaker strip. The illustrated retaining stripsare generally S-shaped in cross section, thereby providinglongitudinally extending grooves or pockets 24 and 25 on opposite sidesof a central portion 26 for receiving the edge of one of the flanges andan edge of the breaker strip, respectively. In order to grip securelythe flanges and breaker strip, the strips are preferably formed frommetal having sufilcient resiliency to provide a. gripping action, butyet having suiilcient rigidity to minimize deformation of the strip. Ihave found relatively thin sheet steel to be satisfactory. The free ends28 and 28a of the retaining strip are directed inwardly to grip or cliponto the breaker strip and flange, respectively, the inherent resiliencyof the material providing a spring-like action enabling ready assemblyor disassembly but insuring a secure grip when in use.

In order to increase the rigidity of the retaining strips and therebystrengthen the same in order to prevent bulging of the breaker stripsbetween the ends thereof and'yet utilize metal sufliciently thin topermit taking advantage of its resiliency to provide the aforementionedgripping action, I have provided means such as a plurality ofspaced-apart projecting members or portions as ribs or corrugations 21disposed transversely of the strips 'and extending around the pocket 24which receives the flange of one of the wall members. As shown in Fig. 4the ribs or projecting means 21, may be corrugations formed by a drawingoperation preceding the bending steps in the construction of theretaining strips. By providing the projectingportions or ribs 21 on theoutside of the pocket 24, means is provided for pressing the breakerstrip 22 outwardly into engagement with the inturned free. edge 28 ofthe outer pocket 25 of the retaining strip, adding to the security ofthe assembly and minimizing slipping or rattling of the breaker strip.The outer pocket 25 is formed by bending or displacing inwardly (that isinwardly with respect to the flange I9 after assembly of the wallconstruction) and then outwardly past the edge of the breaker strip,thereby forming a longitudinally extending beadlike portion which willengage the outer side of the flange IS in the assembled position of thereenforcing strip. The strip is then directed substantially parallel tothe central portion. The inner pocket 24 is formed by bending orotherwise forming the op posite edge of the strip into a generallyU-shaped loop with the free end thereof directed inwardly toward thecentral portion 26 in order to permit the utilization of the inherentresilience of the material from which the strip is made. Referring toFig. 4, it will be seen that the central portion of the strip engagesthe outer surface of the flange is at two spaced apart points, namely,at the beadlike portion and near the base of the inner pocket. The freeleg or portion of the inner pocket is so dimensioned that engagement ishad with the inner surface of the flange at a point intermediate theplaces of engagement with the outer surface of the flange, whereby theflange is securely held against slipping and rattling. The breaker stripis also engaged by the assembly strip at three zones. As shown in Fig.4, the strip will twist or move slightly because of the above-mentionedengagement with the flange, which movement will cause the strip to takea position engaging the inner face of the breaker strip at theprojecting portions or at the crown of the corrugations and alsoadjacent the beadlike portion. The twisting of the strip will cause thefree edge of the parallel portion of the strip to engage the outersurface of the breaker strip.

In order to improve the appearance of the retaining strips, I mayprovide a coat of decorative :material on the exposed portions thereof,as, for

example, a strip 29 of stainless steel rolled over the exposed edges. l

According to one manner of assembly, the retaining strips or clips 23may be placed on the flanges l8 and I9 respectively, and the breakerstrip placed on the central portions 26 of the retaining strips. Theretaining strips may then be moved towards each other until the edges ofthe breaker strip enter the pockets 2!! and are firmly engaged by theretaining strips.

The breaker strips and retaining strips are preferably held in place atthe ends thereof by means of corner pieces 30 suitably secured asbyscrew 3| extending throughsuitable openings in the breaker strips andflanges i8 and is. The corner pieces 30 also serve to conceal the endsof the breaker strips.

While I have shown and described by invention as applied to a specificrefrigerator construction, other modifications will occur to thoseskilled in the art. For example, instead of providing corrugations 21for the purposes described, the same results may be obtained by securinga strip of metal to the outer surface of the pocket. Moreover, myinvention is equally applicable to the structure of the door I2.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet of the type having walls including innerand outer shells with opposed substantially aligned flanges, the edgesof said flanges being maintained in spaced-apart relationship, and arelatively rigid breaker strip of thermally resistant material closingthe space between said flanges, means extending substantially the fulllength of each longitudinal edge of said breaker strip for holding saidbreaker strip in place. said means comprising a relatively resilientretaining strip generally S-shaped in cross section, and having firstand second longitudinally extending pockets on opposite sides of acentral portion for receiving the edge of one of said flanges and anedge of said breaker strip, respectively, in overlapp relationship, thefree edge ofsaid first pocket being directed toward said centralportion, the free edge of said second pocket being displaced inwardlytoward said flange, then outwardly past the edge of said breaker stripto form a longitudinally extending beadlike portion, and thensubstantially parallel to said central portion so that said retainingstrip engages the other side of said flange at the free edge thereof andat the beadlike portion and engages the inner side of said flange at thefree edge of said first pocket, said'flrst pocket being of a length suchthat the material adjacent the free edge thereof engages the inner sideof said flange intermediate the points of engagement of thecentral'portion of said retaining strip and said flange, whereby saidflange is engaged along three spaced apart lines of contact, theresiliency of said retaining strip serving to cause said retaining stripto grip firmly said flange and breaker strip, respectively, the grippingaction between said central portion and said flange and said breakerstrip, respectively, being the only means for maintaining said breakerstrip, said retaining strip, and said flange in assembled relation.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet of the type having walls including innerand outer shells with opposed substantially aligned flanges. the edgesof said flanges being maintained in spaced-apart relationship, and arelatively rigid breaker strip of thermally resistant material closingthe space between said flanges, means extending substantially the fulllength of each longitudinal edge of said breaker strip for holding saidbreaker strip in place, said means comprising a relatively resilientretaining strip generally S-shaped in cross section, and having firstand second longitudinally extending pockets on opposite sides of acentral portion for receiving the edge of one of said flanges and anedge of said breaker strip, respectively, in overlapping relationship,the free edge of said first pocket being directed toward said centralportion, the free edge of said second pocket being displaced inwardlytoward said flange, then outwardly past the edge of said breaker stripto form a longitudinally extending beadlike portion, and thensubstantially parallel to said central portion, means projectingoutwardly from said central portion into engagement with said breakerstrip at a point spaced from said beadlike portion so that said retainsing strip engages the outer side of said flange at the free edge thereofand also at the beadlike portion and engages the inner side of saidflange adjacent the free edge of said first pocket, said first pocketbeing of a length such thatfthe free edge thereof engages the inner sideof said flange along a line intermediate the places of engagement of theretaining strip and the flange, said retaining strip engaging the innerside of said breaker strip along a line adjacent said beadlike portionand said breaker strip engaging portions and engaging the outer side ofsaid breaker strip along the free edge of said parallel portion, wherebysaid retaining strip firmly engages said breaker strip at three zones ofcontact, respectively, the gripping action between said central portionand said flange and said breaker strip, respectively. being the onlymeans for maintaining said breaker strip, said retaining strip, and

said flange in assembled relationship.

3. In a refrigerator cabinet of the type having walls including innerand outer shells with opposed substantially aligned flanges, the edgesof said flanges being maintained in spaced-apart relationship. a breakerstrip of thermally resaid flanges being maintained in spaced-apartresistant material closing the space between said flanges, meansextending substantially the i'ull length of each longitudinal edge ofsaid breaker strip for holding said breaker strip in place, said meanscomprising a relatively resilient retaining strip generally s-shaped incross section, and having longitudinally extending pockets on oppositesides of a, central portion for receiving one of said flanges and saidbreaker strip respectively, the free edges of said retaining strip beingdisposed to grip said one of said flanges and said breaker strip,respectively, said strip also having a plurality of spaced aparttransversely disposed projecting portions arranged on the outside of thepocket receiving said flange, said portions engaging the breaker strip,such engagement causing said retaining strip to take a position in whichsaid breaker strip engages the free edge of the other of said pockets.

4. In a refrigerator cabinet of the type having walls including innerand outer shells with opposed substantially aligned flanges, the edgesof latlonship, a breaker strip of thermally resistant materialclosingthe space between said flanges, means extending substantially thefull length of each longitudinal edge of said breaker strip for holdingsaid strip in place, said means comprising a relatively resilientretaining strp generally 8- shaped in cross section and havinglongitudinally extending pockets on opposite sides of a central portionfor receiving one of said flanges and an edge of said breaker strip,respectivel the tree edges of said retaining strip being disposed togrip said one of said flanges and said breaker strip, respectively, saidstrip also comprising a plurality of spaced-apart transversely disposedcorrugations extending around the pocket receiving said flange, thecrown of said corrugations engaging the inner side of said breakerstrip, such engagement causing said retaining strip to take a positionin which said breaker strip en-' gages the free edge of the other ofsaid pockets.

ROBERT A. KING.

